Wayne Simarrian Appointed Norwood High Head Football Coach-June 4, 1982

One question is settled. Wayne Simarrian will be Norwood High School’s head football coach this fall. The next question: Will Simarrian retain the job in 1983, or will former coach John Doherty return? Simarrian, 38, offensive line football coach at Dean Junior College, replaces Doherty, one of the state’s most successful high school football coaches. Doherty was suspended from his coaching job for a year because of allegations he mishandled funds paid by his players.

The Norwood School Committee last night voted 6-1 to appoint Simarrian, a teacher and former head football coach at King Philip High School in Wrentham, for the 1982 season and indicated he will be reappointed for a second season if he works out. The vote specifies Simarrian will be reappointed by Jan. 10 if Athletic Director Art Gulla and the administration recommend the reappointment and the school committee approves. Committeeman Richard Joseph, who wants Doherty back as the Norwood coach in 1983, cast the only vote against Simarrian’s appointment. Joseph contended the vote binds the committee to renewing Simarrian’s contract if the administration recommends it. Colleague Richard Kief, who also favored only a one-year contract, disagreed.

Gulla recommended hiring Simarrian, one of six applicants, at the top salary of $3,312. That pay could go to $3,577 if town meeting approves 8 percent raises for teachers. The other applicants were Paul Carroll, a sixth grade teacher at Norwood’s Cleveland School and head basketball coach and assistant football coach at Millis High School; Jim Kelliher, teacher and head football coach at Abington High School; John Moretti, teacher and former head football coach at Foxboro High School; Michael Noonan, teacher and linebacker coach at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro; and John Walker of 98 East Cross St., Norwood, a self-employed businessman and Pop Warner coach.

Last month, Doherty’s assistant football coach, John Martinelli, resigned his Norwood coaching job and was named football coach at Foxboro High School. Committeeman Charles Saraca criticized assistant football coaches who did not apply for the head coaching job in Norwood, accusing them of misplacing their loyalty in one man rather than in the student athletes. “The past coach had his opportunity and he blew it,” Saraca said. Jim Balnis of the Norwood Pop Warner football directors, who was in the audience at the school committee meeting, said there was “definitely something wrong” when the assistant coaches at a football power school like Norwood do not apply for the head coaching job.

Wayne Simarrian Appointed Norwood High Head Football Coach-This Day In Norwood History-June 4, 1982

One question is settled. Wayne Simarrian will be Norwood High School’s head football coach this fall. The next question: Will Simarrian retain the job in 1983, or will former coach John Doherty return? Simarrian, 38, offensive line football coach at Dean Junior College, replaces Doherty, one of the state’s most successful high school football coaches. Doherty was suspended from his coaching job for a year because of allegations he mishandled funds paid by his players.

The Norwood School Committee last night voted 6-1 to appoint Simarrian, a teacher and former head football coach at King Philip High School in Wrentham, for the 1982 season and indicated he will be reappointed for a second season if he works out. The vote specifies Simarrian will be reappointed by Jan. 10 if Athletic Director Art Gulla and the administration recommend the reappointment and the school committee approves. Committeeman Richard Joseph, who wants Doherty back as the Norwood coach in 1983, cast the only vote against Simarrian’s appointment. Joseph contended the vote binds the committee to renewing Simarrian’s contract if the administration recommends it. Colleague Richard Kief, who also favored only a one-year contract, disagreed.

Gulla recommended hiring Simarrian, one of six applicants, at the top salary of $3,312. That pay could go to $3,577 if town meeting approves 8 percent raises for teachers. The other applicants were Paul Carroll, a sixth grade teacher at Norwood’s Cleveland School and head basketball coach and assistant football coach at Millis High School; Jim Kelliher, teacher and head football coach at Abington High School; John Moretti, teacher and former head football coach at Foxboro High School; Michael Noonan, teacher and linebacker coach at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro; and John Walker of 98 East Cross St., Norwood, a self-employed businessman and Pop Warner coach.

Last month, Doherty’s assistant football coach, John Martinelli, resigned his Norwood coaching job and was named football coach at Foxboro High School. Committeeman Charles Saraca criticized assistant football coaches who did not apply for the head coaching job in Norwood, accusing them of misplacing their loyalty in one man rather than in the student athletes. “The past coach had his opportunity and he blew it,” Saraca said. Jim Balnis of the Norwood Pop Warner football directors, who was in the audience at the school committee meeting, said there was “definitely something wrong” when the assistant coaches at a football power school like Norwood do not apply for the head coaching job.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger